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THE BAJA POST
NEWSROOM
SOURCE: PR NEWSMEDIA
A team of 20 athletes has been nominated to represent Canada in Para athletics at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and Athletics Canada announced on Thursday.
Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team – PARA ATHLETICS
- Charlotte Bolton – Tillsonburg, ON
- Bianca Borgella – Ottawa, ON
- Anthony Bouchard – Quebec, QC
- Renee Foessel – Barrie, ON
- Cody Fournie – Victoria, BC
- Keegan Gaunt – Thunder Bay, ON
- Zach Gingras – Markham, ON
- Sheriauna Haase – Toronto, ON
- Julia Hanes – LaSalle, ON
- Brent Lakatos – Dorval, QC
- Guillaume Ouellet – Victoriaville, QC
- Marisa Papaconstantinou – Toronto, ON
- Ashlyn Renneberg – Saskatoon, SK
- Nate Riech – Victoria, BC
- Katie Pegg – Scarborough, ON
- Amanda Rummery – Edmonton, AB
- Austin Smeenk – Oakville, ON
- Greg Stewart – Kamloops, BC
- Noah Vucsics – Calgary, AB
- Jesse Zesseu – Toronto, ON
MEET THE RETURNING PARALYMPIC MEDALLISTS
The team includes five Paralympic medallists, led by Brent Lakatos, who has won 11 medals over his first five Paralympic Games. Lakatos won four silver medals in Tokyo in 2021, where he was Canada’s Closing Ceremony flag bearer.
Of those five Paralympic medallists, two are defending champions, looking to repeat their success of three years ago.
Greg Stewart set a Paralympic record on his way to claiming gold in the men’s F46 shot put event. Stewart announced his retirement from competitive sport in 2022 but, just over a year later, he announced his return to the throwing ring. He has come back strong, earning 2024 World Para Athletics Championships silver in May to earn a quota spot for Canada, then earning a Paralympic nomination with his performance at the 2024 Bell Track & Field Trials.
«There are going to be a lot of new teammates and I’m really excited to see a really strong women’s side, in particular,» Stewart said. «Also, to compete with a bunch of my friends – I’m really excited. Paris is going to be a hoot, for sure.»
Nate Riech won the men’s T37/38 1,500 metres on the last full day of competition in Tokyo, setting a Paralympic record of his own in the process. He is also a two-time world champion in the event, having won gold at the 2019 and 2023 World Para Athletics Championships.
«Hey, world. Let’s get it going. Let’s run the gauntlet. I welcome all comers and I look forward to challenging myself,» Riech said.
Marissa Papaconstantinou heads to her third Paralympic Games, having won bronze in the women’s T64 100 metres in Tokyo. She earned bronze in that same event, as well as bronze in the women’s T64 200 metres, at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships last year.
Zach Gingras earned his nomination to the Paralympic team with a silver medal in the men’s T38 400 metres at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships and a stellar performance at the 2024 Bell Track & Field Trials. Gingras walks into his second Paralympic Games having won bronze in the event three years ago in Tokyo.
